City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 6-2014 At the Threshold: Edgard Varese, Modernism, and the Experience of Modernity Robert Jackson Wood Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/130 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact:
[email protected] At the Threshold: Edgard Varèse, Modernism, and the Experience of Modernity by Robert Jackson Wood A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2014 2014 Robert Jackson Wood All Rights Reserved ii This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Music in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. _________________ ________________________________________________ Date Joseph Straus Chair of Examining Committee _________________ ________________________________________________ Date Norman Carey Executive Officer Supervisory Committee: Richard Kramer Chadwick Jenkins Brian Kane THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii Abstract At the Threshold: Edgard Varèse, Modernism, and the Experience of Modernity by Robert Jackson Wood Adviser: Richard Kramer The writings of composer Edgard Varèse have long been celebrated for their often ecstatic, optimistic proclamations about the future of music. With manifesto-like brio, they put forth a vision of radically new instruments and sounds, delineate the parameters for spatially oriented composition, and initiate the discourse of what would become electronic music.